Following a balanced diet is smart, healthy and enjoyable. It's all about understanding what's in the foods you prefer and how those foods can fit within your healthy diet.

The good news is, smart snacking is easy. Potato chips, pretzels, tortilla chips and popcorn fit comfortably within the bread group because of their levels of dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates. Each has a manageable amount of calories and fat per serving, not to mention some significant surprises such as Vitamin C, calcium and potassium. Herr's® snacks are available in a variety of forms to meet many preferences and needs from lightly salted to low fat and fat free.

As credible nutrition experts and dietitians often note, there are no bad foods, only bad diets. So don't sacrifice the pleasure of foods you enjoy, just read the "Nutrition Facts" label on packages and keep the following facts top of mind:

Calories and fat need to be monitored, but not at the expense of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, sugars, protein, dietary fiber and taste.

High fat foods can be mixed with low fat foods as long as your total diet does not exceed recommended averages. The USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend that no more than 30% of total daily calories come from fat. For a 2000 calorie diet, that means 65 grams and for a 2500 calorie diet, 80 grams.

To keep calories, fat and essential nutrients within a 2000 or 2500 calorie diet, vary the plan.

One size doesn't fit all. ChooseMyPlate.gov can help you choose the foods and amounts that are right for you.

Check out Herr's® profile on just a few of our snacks to see how they easily fit within your smart snacking plan:

Herr's® Regular Potato ChipsMade from only the finest natural ingredients, Herr's® Regular Potato Chips contain essential nutrients, such as vitamin C and potassium. Cooked in corn and/or cottonseed oils, the chips are packed in special foil-like bags to help retain the vitamin C, as well as the freshness and crispness.

Herr's® Bite Size Sourdough Hard PretzelsThis fat-free snack is made with the finest wheat flour and the tastiest dough. Herr's® Bite Size Sourdough Hard Pretzels offer needed complex carbohydrates along with two grams of insoluble dietary fiber and three grams of protein per serving.

Herr's® Tortilla ChipsCorn is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates. Herr's® Tortilla Chips are naturally cholesterol-free because they are cooked in corn and/or cottonseed oils. With just six grams of fat and ninety milligrams of sodium per serving, Herr's® Restaurant or Bite Size Dippers Tortilla Chips can fit in a balanced diet and even offer two grams of dietary fiber, eighteen grams of carbohydrates and two grams of protein per serving.

Herr's® Original Popcorn
is a natural source of fiber, providing three grams per serving. In addition, it has eleven grams of carbohydrates and two grams of protein. Herr's® also offers Light Popcorn which has four grams of fat and three grams of dietary fiber per serving.

Herr's® Cheese Curlsoffer the great taste of real cheddar cheese with no cholesterol and only five grams of fat per serving. With ten grams of carbohydrates and one gram of protein, these tasty little treats work well with all smart snacking plans.